A link posted on Schoolloop entitled “Senior Quotes 2.0” that led to the submission page for senior quotes. When a change to the way seniors submitted their quotes. A “twist”, yearbook called it. The new rule was that quotes had to come from a book rather than letting seniors some up with their own. This change in senior quotes did not sit well with many seniors - and here’s why.
For three years, senior look forward to many of the final events and opportunities that are given to us in order to make our mark before graduating.
Seniors want to be remembered and senior quotes have always been the tradition that allows us to do just that.
For three years, we’ve known that we wanted to continue all of those cliche senior traditions like the school’s biggest events, Nonfire and Fantastics, going to senior sunrise and sunset, having the time of our lives at senior prom, thinking up ideas for senior pranks, and ending high school with our own departing words through senior quotes. We’ve gone through past yearbooks and looked forward to reading what our friends have decided to say to end their high school career with.
For three years, many of us have been thinking about what we should say, how we should say it, and why. These quotes varied from being humorous, emotional, motivational to just plain extra, but all of them succeeded in portraying those seniors’ personalities.
“It’s a lot more special when our quotes actually come from us because it shows our personality. Now that we can’t put in our own quotes, I probably won’t even bother submitting one. But that’s just me.” - Thuy Duong Le (‘19)
“Just because people were immature that doesn’t mean a bunch of us will be immature, too. Even if the quotes are inappropriate, then the ones in charge of quotes can just choose not to put those in the yearbook.” - Samantha Jang (‘19)
“I think it was unnecessary to punish us for previous classes’ mistakes. We already get the end of the stick when it comes to classes and paying for the SAT, so taking away our senior quotes, when we as a class did nothing wrong, is unfair.” - Coleen Duya (‘19)
This is just one side of the story. The other side of it all comes from the yearbook staff who has to deal with the actual quotes being sent in. Ms. King has a different, inside perspective on the topic of senior quotes.
“Looking over the last five years since I’ve been the advisor, I noticed more and more the senior quotes not being what they were intended for when they were first integrated into this school.”
The yearbook is a journalistic publication that should report facts through aesthetics and thoughtful representation to support the image of our school and its students. “A senior quote is meant to be something that is positive, has had a huge impact in your life, and shows who you are in the best way” says Ms. King.
The immature senior quotes are becoming a greater issue. Not only are the students submitting quotes that could hurt yearbook’s reputation as a journalistic publication, but they’re acting without thinking about future consequences. Through senior quotes alone, yearbooks can be sued. Factors like copyright come into play, but it’s very disturbing to find that some can be sued due to things being said by students that were, unfortunately, missed by yearbook staffs.
Quotes that have been submitted include racist comments, drinking, being high, cheating through high school, and even fart jokes. Ms. King states “I think, people are just using it as an opportunity to get laughs or be rebellious towards the school. Allowing book quotes was a compromise that kept senior quotes from being cut altogether - not a punishment.” Even though this compromise was made, it wasn’t enough to get seniors to participate. So senior quotes will not be put in the yearbook this year due to the lack of submissions.
Silver Creek’s yearbook staff puts in an enormous amount of work to create a book of memories for all of us to look back on. They’ve worked on this all year and are even possible contenders for an award due to their amazing efforts. Yearbooks are something that most of us will keep forever, so let’s think about how we can contribute to these efforts in the best possible way.
For three years, senior look forward to many of the final events and opportunities that are given to us in order to make our mark before graduating.
Seniors want to be remembered and senior quotes have always been the tradition that allows us to do just that.
For three years, we’ve known that we wanted to continue all of those cliche senior traditions like the school’s biggest events, Nonfire and Fantastics, going to senior sunrise and sunset, having the time of our lives at senior prom, thinking up ideas for senior pranks, and ending high school with our own departing words through senior quotes. We’ve gone through past yearbooks and looked forward to reading what our friends have decided to say to end their high school career with.
For three years, many of us have been thinking about what we should say, how we should say it, and why. These quotes varied from being humorous, emotional, motivational to just plain extra, but all of them succeeded in portraying those seniors’ personalities.
“It’s a lot more special when our quotes actually come from us because it shows our personality. Now that we can’t put in our own quotes, I probably won’t even bother submitting one. But that’s just me.” - Thuy Duong Le (‘19)
“Just because people were immature that doesn’t mean a bunch of us will be immature, too. Even if the quotes are inappropriate, then the ones in charge of quotes can just choose not to put those in the yearbook.” - Samantha Jang (‘19)
“I think it was unnecessary to punish us for previous classes’ mistakes. We already get the end of the stick when it comes to classes and paying for the SAT, so taking away our senior quotes, when we as a class did nothing wrong, is unfair.” - Coleen Duya (‘19)
This is just one side of the story. The other side of it all comes from the yearbook staff who has to deal with the actual quotes being sent in. Ms. King has a different, inside perspective on the topic of senior quotes.
“Looking over the last five years since I’ve been the advisor, I noticed more and more the senior quotes not being what they were intended for when they were first integrated into this school.”
The yearbook is a journalistic publication that should report facts through aesthetics and thoughtful representation to support the image of our school and its students. “A senior quote is meant to be something that is positive, has had a huge impact in your life, and shows who you are in the best way” says Ms. King.
The immature senior quotes are becoming a greater issue. Not only are the students submitting quotes that could hurt yearbook’s reputation as a journalistic publication, but they’re acting without thinking about future consequences. Through senior quotes alone, yearbooks can be sued. Factors like copyright come into play, but it’s very disturbing to find that some can be sued due to things being said by students that were, unfortunately, missed by yearbook staffs.
Quotes that have been submitted include racist comments, drinking, being high, cheating through high school, and even fart jokes. Ms. King states “I think, people are just using it as an opportunity to get laughs or be rebellious towards the school. Allowing book quotes was a compromise that kept senior quotes from being cut altogether - not a punishment.” Even though this compromise was made, it wasn’t enough to get seniors to participate. So senior quotes will not be put in the yearbook this year due to the lack of submissions.
Silver Creek’s yearbook staff puts in an enormous amount of work to create a book of memories for all of us to look back on. They’ve worked on this all year and are even possible contenders for an award due to their amazing efforts. Yearbooks are something that most of us will keep forever, so let’s think about how we can contribute to these efforts in the best possible way.